Available Consultations/Workshops and Lectures in:
Creative, collaborative hospital programs from preconception through the first year post partum.
- Innovative Programs in Maternity Care, a one-day or two-day workshop
- Family-centered Maternity Care, Single Room Facilities
- Mother-Baby Couplet Care
- Effective Parent Education Programs
- Postpartum Follow-up Programs, including nurse-managed clinics and baby support groups
This workshop explores the rapidly changing role of all healthcare professionals in caring for pregnant and new families. The day details comprehensive hospital programs where a family-centered philosophy forms the cornerstone for maternity care. This philosophy emphasizes a strong education foundation, where parents and staff collaborate in the decision-making process. The workshop discusses how effective programs are established and how evidence-based education is woven into all aspects of preconception, prenatal, and postpartum services. Staff education becomes as important as client education in establishing unique and optimal care.
Consultation for the development of family-centered maternity programs, with emphasis on staff education and helping staff to embrace a family-centered philosophy.
Assisting hospital administration, management and staff in the transition of caring for babies and mothers as a unit.
Designing and implementing highly effective education programs. What do parents need to know to prepare for their baby's birth and transitioning to parenthood? This education model for maternity care provides a very safe environment where poor outcomes can be minimized and quality care optimized for all childbearing families, regardless of their demographics.
Consultation and education in the development of postpartum follow-up programs that provide a safety net for families in the first days post partum, with on-going support for new parents throughout the first year.
Additional Lectures
- Searching For Excellence
- Almost Premature: Babies born at 36-39 weeks gestation
- Family-centered Care: Words or actions when caring for sick or premature babies?
- Introduction of Solids or Taking the Bite out of Picky Eaters
- The Challenge of Postpartum Relationships
This talk discusses what women and their families want and need from the healthcare system, no matter where they live, what language they speak, what economic status they come from. It looks at the roles we all play - doctors, nurses, midwives, lactation consultants, mother support groups. It considers the words we use, the power we have, and how these things can affect new families negatively or positively. This talk examines our relationships not only with the families we work with, but also with each other as professionals. This is a nice plenary opening or closing talk.
Infants born between 36-39 weeks gestation frequently present a unique dilemma for those who are caring for them. They are often well-developed, vigorous at birth, and their behaviors frequently mimic those of term, healthy infants. However, missing out on the last few weeks of in-utero gestation may result in a more subtle immaturity that requires vigilant assessment and care to prevent subsequent problems. Experience shows that these infants are more vulnerable to hypothermia, progressive lethargy, poor feedings over time and a greater than 10 percent weight loss if allowed to breastfeed on demand without intervention. Our goal is to prevent these complications without creating unnecessary complexity and intervention and without creating unnecessary anxieties for the parents.
For many decades, nurses and physicians believed they could provide the best care for the most vulnerable babies in large hospital ward settings. This concept had never been challenged until recently when several hospitals, practicing a philosophy of family-centered care for birth, decided to re-evaluate how they delivered care to babies requiring a high level of specialization. This presentation discusses the positive aspects of single-room care for high risk infants, as well as the difficulties and challenges of incorporating a family-centered philosophy into the Special Care Nursery.
This talk translates professional, scientific, nutritional information into enjoyable, practical, helpful ideas for professionals and parents of small babies. This lecture discusses how the baby's biology determines the need for starting other foods after exclusive breastfeeding or formula feeding, just as it did with feedings in the early weeks. This lecture discusses the science and rationale behind the recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, the known nutritional needs of small children and common sense practical suggestions to help families achieve happier mealtimes with their babies and small children.
What happens to fathers after the birth of a baby? What happens to couple relationships after the birth of a baby when a woman is breastfeeding? This lecture discusses couple communication issues, discussion of postpartum sexuality, and the impact of breastfeeding on sexuality. The prevalence and management of postpartum depression and adaptation issues are also discussed.